Vietnam
In its report to the CEDAW Committee, the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) underlined that whilst Vietnam has adopted a range of legislative measures promoting gender equality, in practice discrimination against women remains widespread in social, economic and political life [1].
The Vietnam Committee drew particular attention to the prevalence of violence against women, trafficking and forced marriage: “Trafficking for sexual exploitation has developed alarmingly”, said Vo Van Ai, President of the Viet Nam Committee on Human Rights and Vice-President of FIDH, in an oral submission to the Committee [2]. “Tens of thousands of Vietnamese women have been trafficked as brides to East Asia and other countries and subjected to servitude or forced labour in appalling conditions”.
The CEDAW Committee, in its dialogue with the Vietnamese government, underlined the need for Vietnam to adopt an exhaustive legal framework to address violence against women effectively. With respect to trafficking, the Committee welcomed the adoption of a range of laws but noted that huge discrepancies remained between law and practice, due in particular to “laxity and corruption in law enforcement bodies”.
Nicaragua
In a joint report to the CEDAW Committee, FIDH and the Centre Nicaraguense de Derechos Humanos (CENIDH) raised the critical issue of women working in appalling conditions in the maquilas (assembly line factories) situated in the free-trade zones [3]. Tax exemption in the free-trade zones is accompanied by flagrant breaches of the basic rights of employees, in violation of Nicaragua’s obligations under international law as well as provisions of national legislation.
FIDH and 18 Nicaraguan human rights organisations also submitted two joint letters to the experts of the CEDAW Committee, focusing on violations of sexual and reproductive rights (See Intervention ; and http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=4021]].
The Committee’s experts raised these concerns with the Nicaragua delegation, asking for details on the measures taken to address these issues. In response, the delegation recognized that the salaries in maquilas were too low and that the Government was not effectively regulating activities in the free-trade zones. The delegation stated that free trade zones were a palliative to the economic crisis, but accepted that the economic crisis cannot justify, nor be resolved, through jobs that fail to satisfy minimum needs and assured the Committee that a legislative framework on the maquilas was “underway”.
Peru
FIDH and the Asociacion pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH), together with Demus and Cladem-Peru, submitted a joint report to the Committee, focusing on the obstacles to justice and reparation faced by victims of gender violence during the 1980-2000 armed conflict, and violations of sexual and reproductive rights [4].
In its dialogue with the Peruvian delegation, the CEDAW Committee stressed that the issues of violence against women and reproductive health remain grave concerns in Peru, highlighting the link between violence against women and prevailing sexual stereotypes. The Committee urged the Peruvian government to ensure that violence against women was sanctioned with “due speed and severity”, and to introduce “zero tolerance” to make violence socially and morally unacceptable in Peru. The Committee emphasized the inadequacy of reproductive health services and the alarmingly high level of maternal mortality.
The Peruvian delegation acknowledged that violence against women was “manifest at all social levels” and that progress had been slow. The delegation assured the Committee that Peru was working with civil society to raise awareness of the phenomenon and to adopt a comprehensive system to combat violence as a priority.
Azerbaijan
The Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan submitted a report focusing on discrepancies between the legislative framework and practice in terms of gender equality, the prevalence of gender stereotypes at home, discrimination in the work place and in public life, impunity for acts of violence against women and corruption in the fight against trafficking.
In its dialogue with Azerbaijan, the Committee stressed that laws, programmes and plans needed to be accompanied by the necessary resources and implementation capabilities in order to have a positive impact on the ground. Azerbaijan recognized that gender stereotypes were the main obstacle in the fight against domestic violence and trafficking and that stronger state intervention was required.
The CEDAW Committee will publish its conclusions and recommendations in mid February. FIDH and its member organizations will follow-up on their implementation by the respective governments.